


Kamikaze

by Fritzenberg



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, POV Alternating, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:14:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26544286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fritzenberg/pseuds/Fritzenberg
Summary: The outcome of the Battle of Shiganshina was decided in less than a second. The total destruction of their enemies has come at a great cost, and Magath has been left to clean up the mess. Sometimes, a weapon too powerful becomes a nuisance.AU Edgetolt in Marley because I'm a sap who can't get enough of this stuff.
Relationships: Bertolt Hoover/Other(s), Porco Galliard & Bertolt Hoover, Reiner Braun & Bertolt Hoover
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	Kamikaze

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, Livian! Thanks for reading this, and if you could show this to the others too. That would be grand. 
> 
> Also, I experiment a lot with POV swaps. Sorry if that's annoying but just as a tip, narration is a shared duty between characters.

When it happens, I will be afraid.  
I am not a liar.  
I am courageous. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

General Calvi thumbed through the folder sitting in front of his chair - identical to every folder sitting in front of the other currently empty chairs in the conference room of the War Ministry. It was filled with reports, details, analyses, suggestions and interviews compiled in the last two weeks, on top of it the fully-capitalized, bold-font title read "AFTER ACTION REPORT CONCERNING OPERATION TARQUIN".  
The topics inside it varied from dull descriptions of living conditions, geographical features and military capabilities to vivid descriptions of engagements with the hitherto unknown holder of the 2 missing Titans.

Men began to trickle in in orderly fashion, donning identical olive uniforms with peaked caps, small rank distinctions only apparent in their epaulettes. Arriving at their chairs they each threw a brisk salute and waited for permission to sit down. Once everyone had arrived, Supreme General of the Marleyan Land Forces Calvi Borghese III gave a single salute in reply and pulled back his chair, prompting everyone to sit down in near-perfect synchronization. After giving them 5 minutes to skim through the long folder he cleared his throat and waited for them to look up.

"Gentlemen, there is much work to be done."  
All of them nodded.  
"The results of this expedition have been... mediocre. While we were able to confirm the information relayed to us by the Tybur bloodline, the Warrior Unit failed its objective of recon-in-force and were unable to make the island of Paradis safe for economic exploitation"

Magath wishes he could protest, he wishes he could stand up and stab Calvi in the throat with his pen. But even more he wishes he could have delayed the operation by some years so he wouldn't be faced with this professional embarrassment. 

"Gentlemen, the situation has returned to the status quo 5 years ago. No, worse than that... We stand in the same position in regards to Paradis but we have lost 2 more Titans, the Armored and the Female Titan. Though doubts remain about the ultimate fate of the latter, we can safely conclude that it will not be a variable in the foreseen future"

Well, no one said the fruits of loyalty are sweet. I didn't expect a rescue team to be sent and for General Calvi to cry, but telling people to not even assume she's alive? Kind of cold.

"Although, the elimination of the holder of the 2 missing Titans could bear fruit. Nonetheless, it would take more than a decade before we could see any benefit from it -- that is, if those 2 Titans are born among our Eldians. Should they not, it will be necessary that the second expedition against Paradis add the goals of retrieving these new powers"

A second time? Why doesn't he go and let's see how well he does? Big-lipped prick.

By this point, the entire room was filled with expensive cigarette smoke, the grease in the gears of the Marleyan military.

"With all due respect, what's he doing here?", the Colonel three seats from me piped up.

"That is the next point to adress," Calvi dismissed him.

"However necessary a second strike may be, the loss of those 2 Titans has sprung a much more urgent matter into our laps. Rumours of our weakness have emboldened the Middle East Alliance into declaring war just last week... Now this isn't news to all of you, but it may be to him", he said as he glared coldly towards me sitting opposite of him, the ceremonial red sash hanging over my uniform.

"Warrior Hoover, consider yourself privileged to be court martialed by the highest ranks of the military."

It's quite odd to hear myself be the topic of discussion, it would be the dream of any Eldian to have so captured the attention of his Marleyan betters. Good that I giggled only mentally just now, otherwise that would have been awkward to explain.

"We promise to give a fair verdict which abides to the standards of military law, even in spite of your blood. We will deliver a unanimous verdict after short deliberation with power of life and death, so consider your answers carefully - With that, I officially begin this trial"

"Warrior Hoover, of the two confirmed combat casualties - Warrior Galliard and Warrior Braun - you are directly responsible for the latter. Would you care explain the circumstances that lead you to liquidating one of our most valuable assets?"

I bite my tongue lightly as I stand up, to kill anything that might come out instinctually. 

"Yes, sir." - I avoid meeting his gaze out of respect  
"My hand was forced" I spat out quickly

"Forced? We need you to be more deliberate. What happened that lead you to your decision?"

"As part of the plan to annihilate the Survey Corps by Captain Jaeger-" they all turn to him to see him nod silently  
"-Braun was to serve as the decoy and after he had forced as the main enemy force to engage him at close range, his roar was supposed to signal Captain Jaeger to throw me towards his location" I pause for a quick breath

"The Armored Titan is the only Titan which can withstand my-" "not yours, the Colossal Titan's. Seeking vainglory will not do you any favours, Warrior Hoover" Calvi interrupted, clicking his pen in a disinterested manner.

"... The Colossal Titan's explosion. In a perfect scenario Warrior Braun would have been completely safe inside his Titan"

"So what happened?" He demanded

"It seems our enemies had devised a new weapon, capable of breaching the Armour"

"Doubtful, but we will suppose it to be true until any evidence to the contrary is shown"

"Warrior Braun was exposed, his body being outside the nape of his Titan but still alive," I quickly glanced around, seeing if I could gauge the mood of the room.

"It was clear to me that our enemies planned to use him as a hostage to prevent the explosion, and subsequently to use him as the lynchpin to defeating the Colossal Titan thus leaving our enemies in a supremely advantageous position" 

"So, you did see Warrior Braun before exploding?" Calvi stared me down

"Yes, sir"

"And you knew he would not survive?"

"Yes, sir. I knew that I could not surrender the initiative to our enemies and decided that Rei-Warrior Braun was an acceptable casualty" - left my mouth in a defiant voice that could have gotten any other Eldian arrested.

The room became dead silent. Worried looks being exchanged between all corners of the table, before General Calvi tapped the bottom of his papers on the table...

"We have no further questions. Commander Magath and Warrior Hoover must leave the room and return after 15 minutes. You will hear your verdict then."

Trembling hands make it hard to grip a cigarette. Eventually he foresook using his fingers at all, pushing the pack to his face and using his teeth to pull it out. Few could claim that they had seen Magath like this, and none could claim to understand why. In that moment his spine tingled, the sensation as dreadful as seeing a man being eaten. Bertholdt had been afforded quite some rest after he returned, a full day of sleep, a week of no obligations, and very few questions. When he saw Reiner Braun on the casualty list he had assumed a faulty transformation, or perhaps some other mistake of that sort, worst scenario it was a mercy kill against a captured Warrior. He wrinkled his brow remembering the words just now, Bertholdt had designated Reiner as an "acceptable casualty", in the same tone one would use to describe an opening bet in a card game.

'Did he learn that from me?' 

Heat scorched his fingers as the flame reached its end, he turned and threw the butt in the nearby trashcan. He had 10 more minutes to wait outside before Bertholdt's fate was decided. A death sentence wasn't off the table, he thought, Bertholdt had clearly shown more initiative than a Colossal Titan could ever be allowed to have... On the other hand, none of my Warrior candidates right now are fit to inherit that Titan. 

"They made a painting about this?" Yes, they did. On the wall in front of Bertholdt stood romanticized painting of the events of 7 years ago. The first time he'd been used in war, where Magath had first dubbed him "The God of Destruction". Back then he'd been excited, rightfully so, but the weight of the last 5 years on his shoulders, threatening to break his posture and make his forehead touch the ground, made him feel hollow before this celebration of his military exploits. As he looked at it now, he saw it less and less as a work of art meant to beautify the halls of the War Ministry but more as an advertisement for a very special product.

He noted the title of the piece at the bottom, a testament to sharp Marleyan wit - Sweet and Honorable it is, when they die to us. Written in Marleyan, a language long dead but zealously revered.

He moved to another painting, not featuring him or any Marleyan at all. It was more comical, almost like a charicature portraying the numerous enemies of Marley weak and pathetic, in various states of undress. The caption this time was "Our enemies prayed to God that neither they nor their children may ever see defeat - Thus they were struck blind and infertile" 

He could feel Magath's eyes burn holes into his back, but what would turning around do? What could a talk with his superior even achieve when in a few minutes he could be forced to give up his life, not even a month after returning from that Hell? 

"You're going to have to explain yourself again", I heard as a heavy hand landed on my right shoulder.

"They won't question me again, sir"

"Not to us, but to Braun's family"

The door opened to find both Magath and Bertholdt standing a considerable distance apart, both with their backs turned to the door.

"You may now enter" a cold authoritative voice uttered

I stood tall, my hands behind my back and gaze straight ahead. This time meeting Calvi's, in hopes of one last defiance should this be my end.

"Bertholdt Hoover, holder of the Colossal Titan, this court finds you guilty of murder, use of unnecessary force and acting without orders. However, the current political situation makes proper enforcement of discipline difficult. You will redeem yourself by your performance in this conflict, and when Marley claims victory once more the matter of your proper punishment will be raised again."

Calvi then disinterestedly looked up, no longer reading from the official transcript of the sentence, "you will continue with your duties and will be promoted in rank to Vice Captain. Consider this sentence our way of motivating you to reach your full potential in the coming years. You are now dismissed." 

A salute was given, a salute was returned. A Vice Captain should know which belonged to who, but I spent my next week trying to my hardest to forget that dreadful day.


End file.
